Really scared about bite

Dec 18, 2013

I was bitten by a pitbull today and I was worried that he could have bitten someone else right before me. Would this be a risk for hiv I know dogs cant transmit hiv I think but what if blood from the previous person was on his tooth also
he jumped on my toddler and scratched him causing a little bleeding and if the dog had blood from scratching someone then scratched my son the dog looked to have blood on him that could have bumped my sons small cut. Do you consider this a risk for hiv? Thanks for your help.

Response from Ms. Southall

Hi
HIV transmission can only occur when there is a direct and prolonged exposure to body fluids, semen, vaginal fluid, blood or mother to child through breast feeding. This most commonly occurs through unprotected vaginal or anal sex and sharing of needles. Casual contact, sharing utensils, drinking after someone, etc are not way for HIV transmission to occur. If you go to this link HIV101 it will take you to our page that talks about the ways in which HIV is and is not transmitted.
You can get other infections from dog bites but not HIV. If the dog did in fact bite someone prior to you, it would have to have been immediately then biting you as once HIV leaves the body it begins to die and becomes unable to infect.

The risk of HIV transmission through this experience is so very highly unlikely.

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